Rice Cooker Mac and Cheese

I adapted this Rice Cooker Mac and Cheese recipe from the one I saw on The Washington Post in September (click for original recipe).  I had bookmarked the recipe and finally got around to trying it.  This mac and cheese turned out well and should be a kid-friendly dish.  You could easily adapt this recipe with different pasta shapes and vegetables too.  The best part was that I made mac and cheese in a rice cooker!  Be sure to use a 7-cup or larger rice cooker, I have a 14-cup rice cooker so I had no problem.  Also, I didn't stir it enough towards the end of cooking and the bottom had a layer of crisp melted cheese.  I actually didn't mind it at all because it tasted like the top part of a baked mac and cheese.  Feel free to sprinkle a little extra cheese on top when serving.  If you have a rice cooker, you need to try this recipe because its easy and delicious.  Enjoy!

Rice Cooker Mac and Cheese

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

8 ounces dried elbow macaroni pasta (or other shaped pasta)

2 cups low sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)

1 teaspoon salt

1 – 2 cups frozen peas and carrots (or other vegetables)

1 cup low-fat milk

1 ½ cups cheese blend, shredded (I used sharp cheddar, mozzarella and provolone.)

Directions

In the rice cooker, combine pasta, broth and salt.  Cover and cook for about 15 minutes on regular cooking cycle.  Open a few times to stir the pasta to prevent scorching the bottom.  The broth should be almost or completely absorbed when done.

Once pasta is cooked, add in milk, cheese and vegetables.  Cover and cook for additional 10 minutes on regular cooking cycle.  Open a few times to give everything a stir (to prevent scorching).   However, if you don’t stir it, you will get a bottom layer that gets a little crispy, almost like when you bake mac and cheese.

Serves 4 to 6.

Even Buddy and Ellie wanted this mac and cheese!  Ellie has a habit of pawing at my legs when she wants something...